January 2012 - Volume 4: Number 1 - Art Gallery of Hamilton

galleryGAB
NEWSLETTER of the AGH VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE
volume 4 number 1: January 2012
Publisher
AGH Volunteer
Committee
Executive
Editor
Bill Manson
locke@interlynx.net
In this edition...
Getting to Know More of You
It’s not too late
to donate
Welcome to this eighth edition of galleryGAB, your AGH Volunteer Committee newsletter.
We hope that news and views about your fellow volunteers will be of interest to you, and that you will contribute to
future editions with your own news and views. We welcome your comments.
chairGAB
by Bill Manson
Congratulations, volunteers! In
2011, probationary and active members of
the AGH Volunteer Committee logged over
7600 volunteer hours in support of the
Gallery. This is a record.
Have you ever thought about why
we volunteer There may be a number of
personal reasons that we give of our time
and talents. One common reason certainly
is that we have a keen interest in
something, and believe that we want to
contribute personally to the promotion and
advancement of that interest. Those of us
who volunteer at the Art Gallery of
Hamilton obviously have an interest in the
arts, and whether or not we have a formal
arts background, we want to support the
programmes of the Art Gallery of
Hamilton.
One of the official objectives of
the AGH is to make the Gallery a "great
place to work". To that end staff, in
collaboration with members of the Volunteer
Committee Executive, have developed
volunteer training programs and operating
manuals designed to assist volunteers in
understanding the nature and expectations of
the volunteer placements.
Recently we were required to sign a
waiver, in effect signifying that we each take
personal responsibility for working in
accordance with AGH policies and protocols
as set out in these operating and training
manuals. The Gallery, for its part through
these policies and protocols, is committed to
providing a safe and secure working
environment for all volunteers.
Is the Gallery truly a "great place to
work" Most of our volunteer placements are
"front-line", and involve interacting with the
public to provide the most pleasant AGH
experience possible. Such interactions should
also be as stimulating and fulfilling for us as
for visitors to the Gallery. Sometimes,
unfortunately, this may not be the case. I urge
any of you who encounter problems in doing
your volunteer job safely and securely -- and
hopefully pleasurably -- to discuss the
situation with your staff supervisor and / or
Volunteer Committee liaison person.
Where no VC liaison is currently in place,
please do not hesitate to contact me
directly.
I trust that you found the recent
accessibility training as enjoyable and
informative as I did. We can all now feel
more secure in dealings with visitors and
others with disabilities, aware of strategies
and approaches that ensure all our visitors
can enjoy the Gallery with dignity.
If you have any suggestions about
making your volunteer role safer, more
secure, more fulfilling, or more
stimulating, talk to your liaison and/or
supervisor and, again, please do let me
know. I really would appreciate your
sharing any ideas for making the Art
gallery of Hamilton a "greater place to
w o r k " . M y e - m a i l a d d r e s s i s
locke@interlynx.net
Cheers -- and thank you all for a
great volunteer 2011 at the AGH.

commGAB
by Ann Manson
Volunteer Committee
Looking Back In Time Part 3
AGH Art Rental and Sales
Last November saw the AGH
Tanenbaum Pavilion transformed into a
vibrant showcase for the Fall Art Sale. This
event is held twice a year, and draws
hundreds of visitors to the Gallery. But art
rental is available to members and
corporate clients through Shop at AGH all
year, and showcases a wonderful diversity
of original art. These works may also be
purchased.
The concept of art rental and sales
had its birth back in 1955 when three
members of the Women’s Volunteer
Committee met informally to discuss an
idea they thought would benefit the Gallery
and the community. A small number of
institutions in Canada had already
established picture rental loan systems for
works of art by Canadian artists, and Ruth
McCuaig, Kate Steiner and Janet Barber
believed such a programme should be
established in Hamilton through the
Gallery.
As a result, a larger committee was
established and the ladies applied
themselves to organizing the project with
their characteristic zeal. Every detail and
aspect had to be developed -- from
transportation logistics, to cataloguing, to
insurance to designing and making bags to
protect the pictures. The latter involved the
committee members spending hours sewing
bags from yards of donated scarlet fabric
and stenciling “Picture Loan, Women’s
Committee" on each bag by hand.
Many Canadian artists were
contacted for their work, among them a
new up-and-coming group known as
"Painter’s Eleven", of which Jack Bush and
Harold Town, now art icons, were members.
I wonder what members of the
founding committee would think if they had
strolled through the recent Fall Art Sale or
saw the new Art Rental and Sales wed site,
www.aghartsales.com on which many of the
current works may be viewed. I think they
would be delighted.
recruitGAB
by Hinda Levine
We welcome several provisional
volunteers who have come "on board"
recently here at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
Two new volunteers have joined the
Shop at AGH. Shelagh Hagan, who says
that she is a “great shopper”, works at BMO
as a mortgage specialist. Cecile DeMedeiros,
who moved to Hamilton from France and is
working at ArcelorMittal Dofasco in R&D, is
a project manager there in organic coating.
At the Front Desk, we have Bob
Demers whose background is in mechanical
engineering. He worked at Siemens as a
production controller for many years.
Ariel Bader-Shamai is helping
Christine Braun with the Super Auction for
the upcoming Art for the 100th. Ariel is
completing a B.A. in Art History and
Communication at McMaster University. She
first joined us as a volunteer for the WFF
2011, and will also be volunteering for
Special Events.
There are three new volunteers who
will be helping with Film & Performance.
Jonathan Garfield, who has 3 diplomas
from Trebas and a post-grad degree in film
from Sheridan, previously volunteered for
the WFF 2010. Robert Dmochewicz comes
to us from Warsaw with experience
managing the largest cineplex in Poland. Tim
Rose joined the Gallery after volunteering
for the WFF 2011. Tim owns a furniture
studio where he makes custom furniture.
Several new volunteers have been
recruited to Special Events. Jennifer Lang is
a primary school teacher who recently
volunteered for the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
Hanna Chang has joined us formally, after
volunteering on several occasions at the
Gallery's art sale. She also won a volunteer
award at the recent AGM. Cecilia Barros,
who speaks Portuguese fluently, works as an
office coordinator for a tax company in
Burlington. Jeanette Janzen has a Masters
degree from York University in Art History
and Curatorial Studies, as well as a BFA from
the University of Windsor. Megan Press
worked here over the summer as a
development assistant, during which time
she developed the Shop at AGH manual.
Megan has a MFA from the University of
Victoria, and is currently working at the
Mississauga Arts Centre as the Studio Arts
Administrator and Program assistant.
Jenny Tieu was as a summer YMCA
student at the Gallery, and is completing
high school at Sir John A. MacDonald
Secondary School. Monica Julian
volunteered at the AGH previously. She
returned to Hamilton recently after
graduating from Wilfred Laurier, with a
degree in communications.
Welcome to all of you. We are
glad that you have joined us as volunteers.
Hopefully, you will find your experience
volunteering here at the AGH both
rewarding and fulfilling.
Finally, congratulations to the
following individuals have been promoted
from provisional to active members of the
Volunteer Committee: Patrick Church,
Janine DeBackere, Katie Edwards,
Amanda Lera, Louise Sylvia MacNeil,
Loretto Mahony, Franca Marazia,
Jessica Martin, Kristine Matthews,
Cynthia Meyer, Neal Miller, Erin
O’Neil, Mike Schumacher, Sarah
Sienna, Gaylan Stanley, Norica Stein,
Jacqueline Swain, and Laura Wiebe.
Welcome aboard to all of you!
Thank YouVolunteers for
Style and the City, 2011
Amanda Lera
Brian Winer
Carly Hoey
Carol Stanton
Caroline Cheng
Cheryl Petkoff
Delaram Mahabadi
Gay Stanley
Hanna Chang
Inna Janes
Janine De Backere
Jean Carey
Jeanette Janzen
Jennifer de Alwis
Jennifer Lang
Jennifer Lang
Jessica Shute
Joyce Schumacher
Kristine Matthews
Megan Press
Melissa Height
Nadiya Khyzha
Owen Caine
Patrick Church
Somayeh Mousavi Asl
Trevor Roach

staffGAB
by Marilyn Hollick
Gloria Pilot has recently joined
the AGH team as interim Membership and
Audience Development Manager.
Born and raised in the north end
of Hamilton to immigrant Italian parents,
she enjoyed growing up being surrounded
by the richness of Hamilton’s Italian
community.
Upon graduation from the
University of Guelph (1983) in Applied
Nutrition, she approached the Fortino’s
supermarket corporation with an idea to
promote her new skills. She was hired to
provide educational nutritional classes,
cooking classes, and ideas on how to use
newly introduced exotic foods and unique
products.
Her career took her in many
directions including customer-service,
public-relations, organizing special events
such as their Heart Fund dinner, and
managing specialty areas such as the Cigar
Shop and the Household Products
Boutique. She mentions that she even
learned how to smoke a cigar. As Fortinos
grew and was purchased by the Loblaws
Corporation, her responsibilities also grew
to include advertising, marketing, and
heading a team to respond to customer
satisfaction. This intense career took her
on a 20 year journey.
With a growing family (two
young adult children), she found herself
needing a break. After a brief rest time, she
decided to donate her skills and passion to
the Good Shepherd Centre helping with
special events and fund-raising. The fundraising
allowed her to see the other side of
the coin. Instead of providing the funds,
she was now in an effort to collect funds.
Coming to the AGH was an
unexpected opportunity. As the interim
Membership and Audience Development
Manager, she hopes to have a positive
impact in increasing both corporate and
individual memberships. She is very
impressed with the calibre of expertise,
passion, and dedication of the AGH team.
Her hobbies include cooking
Italian, entertaining friends and family and
skiing. Gloria has walked a very
interesting path during her career.
On that note, check out her
shoes !!!!!
mediaGAB
by Glen Doe
I would like to introduce you to
Brian Winer, a fairly new member of the
Film and Performance team.
Brian writes: "I think that
perhaps as a young child, whose parents
were deeply involved in volunteer work,
the idea of volunteerism became a very
natural and vital part of my life. From my
teen years onwards I have tried to share in
various ways, the good fortune which
should and can be a part of being a
Canadian and a Hamiltonian.
I was born in Hamilton and
educated here, initially planning to pursue
a career in journalism. Circumstances
dictated that rather than with a pen and
paper, I would find work at National Steel
Car in 1971. After a short while, I became
interested in the skilled trades and spent 40
years at NSC in the maintenance
department, specializing in hydraulic and
pneumatic machinery. During this time, I
married Jan and now have two daughters
and three grandchildren. Along with
spending time taking a seemingly infinite
number of technically oriented courses at
McMaster and Mohawk College, I made
time for a 25 year stint in the Dundas
Pipes and Drums as a piper, a credit union
volunteer, and a wide assortment of other
community involvements.
Upon retirement, I decided to
become more involved in the Arts
community of Hamilton. The Art Gallery
of Hamilton at that moment, literally, was
holding the International Film Festival,
and I was thrilled to be accepted as a
volunteer. This led to an ongoing
involvement with Special Events with the
e n c o u r a g e m e n t o f S u s a n
Kordalewski. More recently, I became a
member of Film and Performance, which I
shall particularly enjoy having a lifelong
interest in film.
G i v e n m y “ b l u e c o l l a r ”
background, I admittedly wondered how
I’d fit into an Art Gallery environment.
All such thoughts have disappeared – the
staff and other volunteers at the AGH have
been so welcoming and supportive of me
and passionate of their work, I feel
comfortable and proud to be a small part
of it."
secGAB
by Gary Duncan
For the year 2011, volunteers
contributed 7635 hours to the AGH. This
was a huge increase over the 5116 hours
reported in 2010 mainly due to improved
reporting and additional hours for special
events such as the World Film Festival.
The training shown for the past year was
mainly for the "Customer Service
Standard Training" requirements of the
Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act. Thanks to all volunteers
for reporting their hours and for their hard
work.
Volunteer Category Hours
Education 2040
Visitor Services 791
Shop 621
Film Series 392
Volunteer Executive 557
Membership 59
Library 747
Special Projects 100 164
Special Projects 1641
Administration 309
Training (AO3DA) 314
Total 7635
CONGRATULATIONS!
Susan Kordalewski
on your appointment as
AGH Human Resources Manager

eduGAB
by Jenny de Alwis
Back in 2006, Rickie McKeon
made a decision: to sign-up for training as
a docent at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
Looking back, we were quite a few at first.
In 2011, she is one of the original six left.
What this nucleus lacks in number is more
than made up for in quality, and Rickie is
one of the best.
Rickie is always willing to help
out at the last minute or for a difficult-tofill
time slot. Helpfulness however, is only
one of her strengths. An ability to adapt is
another; Rickie is as ready to tour the
rambunctious little ones as she is to take on
the sometimes-challenging older students.
Perhaps this flexibility is born of the
“immigrant experience” as Rickie came
with her family to Barry’s Bay, Ontario in
the 1950s from Vienna; quite a culture
shock but when young, open-minded and
energetic, everything is exciting. And
Rickie loves to make her varied
experiences into stories - a real asset for a
docent!
- a true test of individual concentration and
stamina - but she modestly claims not to have
won any accolades. With her husband, Rickie
is an avid bridge player and golfer, enjoying
hiking with their beloved five-year-old
border collie Skip, canoeing and crosscountry
skiing. Did I mention that she is also
an amazing cook And she loves art, reading,
and gardening.
Rickie brings to her volunteer work
as a docent the variety of skills honed in her
life. I am happy to have met such an
interesting personality and to have the
opportunity to become a friend of Rickie at
the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
Creating a Digital
Retrospective
to Celebrate the AGH
100th
In 2008, volunteer docents Bill
and Ann Manson proposed that they would
be willing to research and write a history of
the Art Gallery of Hamilton and its
permanent collection to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the Gallery
in 1914.
Bill, a local historian and founder
of Footsteps in Time, had for some time
been involved in various volunteer projects
dealing with the Gallery's history. A
published author, he was also aware of the
escalating costs of publishing a traditional
fine art book, especially one that would
feature the many significant and iconic
artworks housed in the permanent
collection.
+Heritage, Hamilton's only "storefront
digital museum". Graham generously
volunteered to turn the Manson's research
and writing into a digital audio-visual
program that could then be produced on
DVD.
The Gallery welcomed this
volunteer project, and agreed to provide
digital images of important works from the
permanent collection, to edit the research
and writing, and to produce and market the
DVD.
Over the past 3 years, the Mansons
have been doing the research and writing,
and the “script” for the digital programme
is now complete. Currently plans are afoot
to record the musical and narrative sound
tracks using local actors who have also
volunteered their time and talents.
Graham Crawford has completed
the visuals for two sections of the 5-part
retrospective:
The Blair Bruce Legacy
The History of the Gallery
Hamilton Artists in the Collection
The Canadian Collection
The European Collection
This retrospective when completed
in 2013 will celebrate the AGH and its
permanent collection during its centennial
year in 2014.
Now retired from a busy schedule
of teaching English as a Second Language,
Rickie still works in her husband Jack’s
busy accounting practice - so no tours at
tax-time! The mother of three daughters,
she is a loving grandmother to five
grandchildren. When extolling with such
passionate fondness of the youngest, Olivia
in B.C., I begin to suspect she is a kindred
spirit!
Rickie’s life-experiences include
planning for the corporate branch of the
tourism industry; she especially loves
Kenya. Rickie was a keen Laser boat racer
Bill also wanted the retrospective
to appeal to a broad audience of all
backgrounds and ages, in a format that
would be current and affordable. Therefore,
they proposed that the retrospective be in a
digital format on DVD, one that could be
viewed on computers, TVs, and other
electronic devices.
To f a c i l i t a t e t h i s s o r t o f
production, they called upon Graham
Crawford, the owner of Hamilton History
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR
the
Annual General Meeting
of the Volunteer Committee
will be held on
Sunday, June 3, 2012
at 2 p.m.
Details of the program to
follow...

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO DONATE !
UPDATE
Art for the 100th
Recognizing all those who have responded thus far with pledges for Art for the 100th:
Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous
Irene Bailey Charles F. Brown Jean Carey Betty Carlyle Frances & John Cloke Dr. & Mrs. J.R. Cranston Glen Doe
Mrs. J.J. Dravis Gary Duncan Margaret Fong Barbara Freeman Alexandra Gall P. Joan Gallagher Marion Harrison
Marilyn Hollick Joan Jennings Rudin Knights Bev Lafferty Sylvia & Fred Laidman Hinda Levine Ann Manson Bill Manson
Maureen McKeating Elizabeth O’Malley Anita Peng Elvira Peterson Joyce Philp Jane Smith Miriam Stanbury
Elise de Stein Geoff & Brendea Stephenson Linda Taillon Frances J. Waters Gary Wells Mary C. Wigle
We invite all new volunteers to join us in this project. Our goal by the end of 2013 is to fund the purchase of a work of art for the
Gallery’s permanent collection. No contribution is too small. Donation forms can be found in the Volunteer Log at the Gallery’s the
front desk or on the Art for the 100th link on the Volunteer Page of the AGH web site.
Donors, please mark your calendars for our first Donor Appreciation Night, Thursday, March 29, 2012 from 6-8 PM. The program
will include tours of the vaults and current exhibitions. More info to come.
a GABflash from the past ...
with the Gallery’s Centennial quickly approaching, in the next few editions we will be featuring some images from
the past of people and things that have significantly impacted its colourful heritage. (Answers in the next edition.)
Who are these people
Why are they significant
Can you identify the work
and artist to the right
gallertGAB’s other feature columnists will be back next edition
specialGAB
by Maureen McKeating
shopGAB
by Geoff Stephenson
guestGAB
by Jean Carey